That Time Milton Berle Was a Jet Jaguar Suit Actor...
Milton Berle playing Jet Jaguar as seen in the Certain Distant Suns music video "Bitter." Screenshot collage by Tim Lawrence.
Comedian Milton Berle (1908-2002) may be known for being one of television's most important pioneers, but few people seem to realize that, on top of all his other accomplishments in the entertainment world, he was also a kaiju suit actor. Sort of.
In Certain Distant Suns' 1994 music video "Bitter," the Toho classic Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973) plays a significant role. Not only were several clips from the film itself inserted into the music video, but folks wearing brand-new Jet Jaguar and Megalon costumes can be seen stage diving, going to a bar, and enjoying themselves in general. At the end of the video, it's finally revealed just who was wearing these costumes. Check out the music video below.
The music video was directed by Marshall Berle, who -- I imagine it won't be too surprising to find out -- is the nephew of Milton. The Jet Jaguar and Megalon costumes seen in the video, however, were created by Hollywood effects man Tim Lawrence, whose resume includes hits like Michael Jackson's Thriller (1983), Beetlejuice (1988), Ghostbusters II (1989), and countless others. He was also a devoted kaiju fan.
When he was selling the Jet Jaguar helmet on eBay circa 2017, Tim Lawrence posted the backstory of his involvement with the "Bitter" music video:
In the early 90s, thru a strange series of circumstances, I became friends with the nephew of Milton Berle - Marshall. When he was contracted to direct Certain Distant Suns 'Bitter' video, his idea included bar scenes with Jet Jaguar and Megalon on a 'date', intercut with stock footage from one of the movies. I made a Megalon head and paws and a Jet Jaguar helmet with a spandex suit.The end of the video was a standard 'Was it all a dream?' scenario where there is a shot of Milton Berle removing the helmet as if he had played the character himself.This may have been Milton's last recorded appearance ... inside a Jet Jaguar helmet.Measures approx. 21" long by 11" wide at the 'ears'. Vacu-formed styrene plastic seamed on the inside with 'Celastic' strips. Vision slots in the eyes. Mouth grid carefully cut out and backed with a black, ventilated fabric. Helmet is spray-painted silver.Sculpted by Charles Rivera.Please note the shipping box is large.NOTE:This continues my 'Behind-the-Scenes' photo archive auction, photos I personally shot during the 80s/90s on the films I worked on. Also a few other things I've come across.NOTE: Please Happy to combine shipping on multiple items. Paypal only, please. Thank you for looking!You may like to see my movie page: Tim Lawrence II.Thank you!~T.~
Tim Lawrence passed away on December 26, 2019, at the age of 61, about two and a half years after selling the Jet Jaguar helmet on eBay. For more information about his life and career, I'd recommend checking out this Florida Times-Union article on him from 2009.
I have to admit that Tim Lawrence was never on my radar screen prior to his untimely passing, and I really regret that. An interview with him I'm sure would have been a blast, but I'm glad he was able to share his love of tokusatsu in at least one project. Were there any others? I'd love to find out!
In the above photo, Cleve Hall is wearing his Godzilla suit, which he would don again in Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985), and Tim was inside Angilas, ready to do battle. Yeah, it's pretty safe to say that this guy loved kaiju.
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